Current-collecting device for electric railways.



No. 722,772. PATENTED MAR. 17, 903.

C. A. TERRY: CURRENT COLLECTING DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 8, 1896.

n'o MODEL.

a a '9 S 8 5 S m T T H H w w 1 WITNESSES: S [6% v QIfJIVENTOR if z/ BY M x/V UNITE STATES CHARLES A. TERRY, OF NEIV YORK,

PATENT Enrica N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OFv PITTSBURG, PENNSYL- VANIA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 722,772, dated March 17, 1903. I Application filed December 8,1896. Serial No. 614,923. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES A. TERRY, a citizen of the United States, residing in New York, in the county and State of New York,

have invented a new and useful Improvement in Current-Collecting Devices for Electric Railways, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices employed IO in connection with railway-vehicles for collecting current from overhead conductors for the operation of the motors carried by and propelling such vehicles.

The object of my invention is to provide a r 5 current-collecting device which shall present a greater contact-surface to the supply-conductor than has been possible with those heretofore employed; andwvith this end in view I propose to employ a plurality of contact-rollers mounted in a frame or head, so

supported that :at least two of such rollers will always be in contact with the. supply conductor or conductors when the device is in use.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure 1 is a perspectivelviewof a contact device embodying my invention and a portion of the supporting-arm of such device.

0 Fig. 2 is a side elevation, on a smaller scale,

showingaportion of a railway-vehicle having the device shown in Fig. 1 mounted thereon,

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of a contact device of modified construction.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the arm or pole l is provided at its upper end with a fork-or head 2, between the arms 3 of which is pivotally mounted a frame 4, which consists of two triangularshaped end pieces 5, connected by a central rod 6 and at corresponding corners by rods 7. Journaled upon each rod 7 is a contactroller 8, the construction and arrangement of the parts being such that the end pieces 5 and the parts supported thereby are free to turn, so that when the device is elevated to make engagement with the conductor 9 two of the contact-rollers 8 will make engagement therewith,it beingthus possible to insure 50 double the contact-surface with the conductor 9 which would be possible with a single roller, and it being also feasible to distribute the wear from time to time among three coutact-rollers which would under ordinary conditions be borne by only one. The arm or pole 1 may be pivotally supported upon the roof of the vehicle 10 in any suitable manner; but, as shown, it is pivoted to one end of a horizontal base 11, provided with springs 12 for movingthe contact device and holding it in engagement with the conductor 9. The base 11 is shown as locked in a given position for operation and as pivotally movable about a central support-l3 when the direction of movement'of the car is reversed.

The device shown in Fig. 3 differs from that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 only in having a plurality of sh'ort'rollers 8 mounted upon each rod 7 and in having intervening bracing members 14, which connect and mutually support the rods 6 and 7. It will of course be understood that the plurality of short rollers may be employed without the intervening supports, if desired, and that the invention is not limited to the employment of any specific number or form of rotatable contact members or to any specific form of supporting-frame except in so far as limitations may be imposed by the state of the art.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a trolley, the combination of the head with two triangular plates revolubly mounted therein with bearings journaled near each corner of said plates and a wheel rotatably mounted on each of said bearings whereby two of said wheels will be in contact with the trolley-wire and one of said wheels will be in the inoperative position, substantially as described.

2. In a trolley system, the combination of the trolley-head having a pair of revolublymounted plates arranged therein, with wheels rotatably mounted between said plates in a manner to cause two of said wheels to be in contact with the trolley-wire and the remaining wheel in the inoperative position, substantially as described.

3. In a trolley-pole, the combination of triangular bearings revolubly mounted on said trolley-pole, and three trolley-wheels mounted in said triangular bearings, substantially as described.

4. A trolley-pole contact-piece comprising a member movable relative to the trolleyfork bearing a plurality of rollers on its side adjacent to the wire, an additional roller located approximately at the point of said movable member farthest removed from the wire, and approximately opposite the middle of the length of the side adjacent to the wire.

5. In a trolley-pole, the combination of a fork, a revoluble member pivoted therein, a plurality of rollers borne by said revoluble member at least two of which are normally in engagement with the wire and at least one of which is normally disengaged from the wire.

6. In a trolley-pole, the combination of a forked end, a pair of triangular plates, said plates being pivoted within said fork and revoluble therein, and a roller pivoted at each angle of said plates and located between same, substantially as described.

7. A trolley-pole contact-piece comprising a triangular movable member and rollers at each of its angles, said movable member being mounted to rotate entirely around its axis of rotation, substantially as described.

8. A trolley-pole contactpiece comprising a plurality of rollers normally in contact with the wire, one or more additional rollers normally out of engagement with the wire, and a member movable relative to the trolleyfork hearing all of said rollers, said additional rollers being each successively brought into engagement with the wire by the rotation of said movable member.

9. A trolley-pole contact-piece comprising a member rotatable entirely around its axis, said member hearing a plurality of rollers at least two of which are normally in engagement with the wire, and at least one of which is normally disengaged from the Wire.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 4=l5l1 day of December, A. D. 1896.

CHARLES A. TERRY.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM WILKE, W. A. ESSELSTYN. 

